


and in the end, maybe we did know well enough

by pusa



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Additional tags in each chapter, Based on prompts, Fluff and Angst, M/M, multiple aus maybe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-19 01:04:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22002775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pusa/pseuds/pusa
Summary: thirty-five ways i’ve said i love you, thirty-five ways you’ve said i love youor: reddie in between all of the moments and some
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 5
Kudos: 35





	1. as a hello

**Author's Note:**

> a few notes for the entire fic!  
> a) ages will be said throughout the prompt or at the notes and there will be trigger warnings (tw) if needed  
> b) i don't know when i'll be updating but i have the next chapters done already so hopefully i'll try to update weekly  
> c) don't hesitate to comment other aus! i.e. zombie au, ugly-meet au, enemies2lovers au..? if u wanna !  
> d) [entire prompt list!](https://mottainaiiii.tumblr.com/post/132858041745/the-way-you-said-i-love-you)  
> d) aaaand my [twitter](https://twitter.com/itminiseries)!

“I love you so much; are those frog-themed Band-Aids?”

Eddie Kaspbrak, six years old and writing on a piece of paper he randomly found on his backpack, looks up and blinks. There’s a boy, maybe his age, grinning widely at him, eyes framed by big, square glasses that make his eyes look bigger than normal, nose scrunched, and his grin accompanied with two big, front teeth. Eddie thinks there’s paint on his neck.

“Uhm,” Eddie murmurs shyly. “Hello? And yes, they are.”

The boy’s face brightens up even more and Eddie raises a brow. He puts down his pencil on his wiped-down clean brown desk and turns his body to the side. Instantly, he knows that the boy does not sit on the seat he’s sitting on. If Eddie remembers correctly, he should be sitting next to a boy with curly, red hair and _no_ glasses whatsoever.

“You’re on the wrong seat,” he points out and the boy blinks.

“I am!” he jumps while sitting and grins. “Nice to meet ya! I’m Richie and I love your Band-Aids!”

“Thank you,” Eddie nods confusedly. “I got them when I was pushed into the sidewalk.”

Richie adjusts his glasses with a frown. “Well, that’s not very nice.”

“It is not,” Eddie nods approvingly at this. “But I also think they’re cute.”

Richie grins again and Eddie is elated at how easily he grins; so, Eddie grins, too. “I love frogs!” Richie says excitedly. “I think they’re pretty!”

Eddie grins back at him, fully forgetting about his paper and what he’s been drawing. “Me too! I have a friend; his name is Mr. Froggy.”

Richie gasps and leans closer to Eddie. He’s so close to the point that Eddie can see his freckles. “Really?” he asks then pouts. “I don’t have a friend named Mr. Froggy. My only friend is Bill.”

“Oh,” Eddie says quietly and scratches his arm before stopping. “I can be your friend.”

He watches as Richie’s eyes widen and he _whoops_ loudly, the other children inside the room looking at them in curiosity. Eddie’s eyes widen at his loudness and he lets out a small giggle when Richie’s glasses almost fall at the way he’s been dancing excitedly.

“Yeah!” Richie grins, facing an open hand at Eddie and the other boy, belatedly, realizes it means a high-five. He quietly and softly touches his open hand with Richie’s, who doesn’t seem to mind. “I have a new friend! I love you, Eds!”

Eddie frowns and shakes his head. “I love you too, I think, but please call me Eddie.”

“Nope!” Richie grins and they both turn to the door where their math teacher has gone in. Richie stands up and waves goodbye to Eddie. “See you later at lunch, Eds!”

Eddie watches with a grin as Richie says hi to everyone before going to his seat, at the front. He looks down at his paper and grins even more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kid fic but its short fhgnghn i hope u liked it as a first chapter!!


	2. with a hoarse voice, under the blankets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for nightmares and uhm slight mention of blood

Nightmares were common, too common, that maybe, Eddie shouldn’t have to wake up shaking and gasping, sweat dripping in every part of his body as he stares up at his ceiling in shock. But he still does. He still does, waking up gasping, face stained with tears, eyesight going blurry and hazy as he hastily tries to sit up, chest heaving. He forgets about Richie, sleeping on the floor.

“Eds?”

Eddie’s too far gone in his nightmare to hear or to remember or to see or to _function_. He’s clutching his blanket tight and looking down at his hands, breathing heavily and feeling like he’s about to die. It’s all too vivid; too real, too _strong_. He can still feel the blood dripping down his stomach and mouth and hands and everywhere and the way he can still the pain in his stomach. He doesn’t register the sounds of Richie standing up and shaking him. He gasps and cries and whispers and whispers and whispers and whispers

_it’s not real it’s not real i’m not dead i’m not dead_

“Eddie!”

Eddie gasps and looks away from his hands and sees Richie kneeling in front of him, hands around his shoulders and he feels the breath come out of his mouth, hot and quick as he stutters out, “I’m—I’m not dead, I’m not in the sewers—Rih-Richie—”

Richie closes the space between them, and Eddie quickly wraps his shaking hands around him, trying hard to control his gasps and tears and he buries his face into Richie’s neck, finally letting out a sob. Richie’s hushing him, trying to tighten his already tight grip on him.

“I’m sorry,” Eddie gasps out, “I probably—I probably woke your parents and I, and I just can’t—I’m sorry—”

“Shh,” Richie shakes them both and hugs him even tighter. “I got you, Ed, I got you, I got you, I’m here. Listen to my voice, okay? I got you.”

“Okay, okay,” Eddie whispers and balls his fists into Richie’s shirt and thinks of the Losers and days at the quarry and swimming with them and going to the bookstore with Stan and hanging out at the farm with Mike and, and, and, and—

Richie.

Eddie doesn’t know how much they stayed that way—quiet with a few hiccups and hugging each other in Richie’s bed. But soon, Eddie starts feeling sleepy, eyelids heavy after the crying and body wanting to sleep forever and ever. He voices so to Richie.

“Okay,” Richie whispers. “Do you want me to go sleep at the floor?”

Eddie shakes his head and Richie laughs softly, muttering a small “okay, Eds” and they both lie down at the same time, Richie sitting up slightly to take the comforter and throwing it over them. Eddie lets himself smile when Richie falls back down with an _oof_ and faces him with a grin. He belatedly realizes that Richie isn’t wearing his glasses.

“I love you,” Eddie says suddenly, voice hoarse and dry from the crying, body curled up protectively and he feels so, so small and tired and sleepy and—in love. Because Richie’s right there, in front of him. “I love you. Thank you.”

Richie blinks at him, or maybe. Eddie doesn’t know. His eyes close tiredly and the last thing he remembers—or feels—is an arm on his shoulder and the whispering voice of Richie Tozier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> are they together???are they bffs?? no one knows!! but fuck it eddie saying i love you to richie!


	3. a scream

It’s still so terrifying to walk by the Neibolt house but Eddie likes to think of himself as someone who’s strong as fuck and can take any clown. He thinks so. He hopes so. Although, he hopes no clown runs after him.

He continues to look down as he passes by the house and focuses on the sounds around him. The train is gonna pass by any minute now. He smiles at the thought. He walks briskly past the house and heaves out a quiet sigh of relief. The train rapidly going through the rail is louder and closer.

“Hey, Eds!”

Eddie looks up and just a few steps away from him, is Richie Tozier with his white shirt and blue Hawaiian shirt and jeans. His hair is tousled up like he’s been running his hands through it. Eddie feels his chest open up and bloom and he can’t seem to stop the grin that forms on his lips. The train horns and moves faster. Eddie can feel the ground shaking.

He grins at Richie and puts his hand up and waves at him. Richie waves back and as the train looms closer, Richie cups his hands over his mouth and amidst the noise of the train passing through and the howling wind tousling his already messy hair, he screams, “Eds, I love you!”

The train leaves as quick as it comes, and the laugh Eddie lets out is sharp and bubbles out of his throat like a promise. He shakes his head and runs toward Richie, who sticks his hands inside his pocket and jumps on the balls of his feet.

Eddie stops in front of him and laughs breathlessly. He punches him in the arm and shakes his head, “What the heck was that, Richie?”

Richie shrugs, grinning at him and quickly takes a hand out of his pocket and adjusts his glasses. “Nothing, Eds. Just wanted to say it.”

Eddie giggles again and rolls his eyes then begins walking, “You’re so weird.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is so short but the next ones are longer hehe xP idk if i wanna write them short or long but maybe it'll depend on the prompt also again if u wanna see aus or smthn don't hesitate to comment sum!! :O


	4. over a cup of tea

Being at the Tozier’s was Eddie’s favourite place to be at. It was easily one of the biggest houses on the block and being there always reminded Eddie of home. And Maggie and Wentworth Tozier always made him feel welcome and loved. _Although_ , there _are_ some times where they make Eddie question his love for them—

“Hey Eds!” Maggie greets him when he and Richie walk inside.

—Like this one.

Eddie frowns and glares at Richie who cackles loudly. “Hi, Mags,” he greets her, although a bit grumpy. “Did Richie tell you to call me that?”

Maggie looks at him in shock before shaking her head. “No, that’s just what he calls you, love.”

Eddie huffs and glares at a running Richie. He follows his figure up the stairs and into his room. He sighs and shakes his head. He walks further into the kitchen and takes a seat, leaning his head on his palm. Maggie smiles at him.

“Hi, Mags,” he grins.

“Hi, Eddie,” Maggie grins back. “What’s my son doing now?”

Eddie laughs and shrugs. “Don’t know. We might stay here and read some comics.”

“Oh dear, getting too old for the barrens now, huh?”

Eddie feels his face flush and he shrugs. “I don’t think so,” he muses. “We just wanna stay here for a while.”

Maggie hums and nods as she stares at Eddie with a soft smile on her face. It reminds him of richie sometimes. When they both hear the loud singing of Richie and fondly smile, Maggie lets out a gentle laugh and turns to the kitchen counter. “Well, why don’t you boys go sit on the porch? I’ll bring you some tea.”

“Oh no, it’s okay,” Eddie shakes his head and Maggie shakes her head at him with a laugh, hair framing her face. “It’s really okay, we don’t need it.”

Maggie tuts and puts her hands on her hips. Eddie oddly feels like a disappointment. Richie appears at the bottom of the stairs. “It wasn’t a question, Edward,” Maggie makes a pointed look at him. “Now, shoo, go sit at the porch. I’ll bring you chamomile tea. I know it’s your favourite.”

Eddie pouts at her. Maggie fixes him a pointed look. Richie whines loudly as he flaps his comic books, the pages slapping together.

Eddie sighs and asks very quietly, “May I have peppermint tea, please?”

Richie laughs loudly at the same time Maggie grins. “Of course, Eds,” she smiles sweetly and turns to the counter, walking over to their collection of tea.

Richie walks over to Eddie and throws an arm around his shoulders and Eddie glances at him with a smile. “Come on then, old chap!” Richie says in a British accent and Eddie rolls his eyes. “We got some comics to read!”

Maggie brings out two cups of tea when they’re both hunched over the latest Batman, arguing over where the comic should be placed so they can read peacefully (currently, it is placed on Richie’s thigh; they are both too dumb to place half of it on Eddie’s thigh). They both look up at the sound of a tray hitting the table in front of them and they grin at Maggie.

“Well, don’t you boys look cute,” she laughs then winks at Eddie. “There’s your peppermint tea, Eds. If you ever need anything, I’ll be inside, okay?”

She ruffles Richie’s hair who grins at the affection. They both say a quiet “bye, Mags” and wraps both their hands around the mugs. The comic book remains ignored on Richie’s thigh.

Eddie hums as he brings the mug to his mouth and smells the mint. Richie snorts.

“I love Mags,” Eddie mumbles into the mug as he takes a sip, body relaxing when the warmth envelops his body. He hums and closes his eyes, listening to the world around him; the sounds of someone pedaling their bicycle, birds chirping, faint meows from somewhere, and—Richie sipping his tea loudly.

He opens his eyes to glare at him. Richie looks at him innocently. “Oh, I see. _You_ love Mags. Stealing my career, huh?”

“You do _not_ love my mom,” Eddie mumbles through a laugh. He looks at Richie, mouth covered by the mug and he feels his face flush as he softly says, “I love you, too, though.”

He watches with a laugh as Richie’s face reddens and he quickly takes big sip of his tea. “Isn’t that hot?”

Richie chokes and shakes his head, grabbing hold of the comic and shaking it. “Nonsense! Batman awaits us, dear sir!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eddie's relationship with richie's parents is something so personal 2 me.. i love maggie n went so much omfg


End file.
